Returnable and reusable containers are utilized by manufacturers to ship a variety of different products to end users. The reusable containers are then returned to the manufacturers for use in further shipments. The return and reuse of such containers results in a substantial savings in shipping and packaging costs for the manufacturer because they reduce the quantity of new containers which must be purchased. Returning containers also reduces the effort associated with storing, destroying, or otherwise disposing of the containers, resulting in further cost savings.
While such returnable and reusable containers reduce costs by eliminating the need to constantly purchase new containers there are costs associated with reusables. Their return shipment is costly. The charge rate for return shipment is based upon the volume of the container and upon the number of containers which are returned. There have been prior efforts to reduce the volume of the returnable container to increase cost savings when returning empty reusable containers.
The cost of storing conventional reusable containers also reduces the economic benefits they offer. Again, prior efforts have been made to reduce the volume of the reusable containers so that they require less warehouse or storage space as full containers. Container storage will also necessary until return shipment can be arranged. Similarly, the manufacturer will store containers on site to have them on hand and ready for shipment. Storage space is often limited and it is usually desirable to utilize the space for something other than bulky, empty containers waiting to be shipped or returned. Therefore, the economic benefits of currently available reusable containers is further reduced by the cost both to the end user and manufacturer in storage space requirements.
Some currently available reusable containers have addressed such problems by being collapsible into a smaller size or volume (by as much as 75%) to thereby require less space when returned or stored.
Applicant is aware of the following U.S. Pat. Nos.: 5,725,119; 5,720,410; 5,664,678; 5,540,536; 5,341,950; 4,998,637; 4,948,039; 4,603,791; 4,489,815; 4,441,639; 4,435,028; 4,274,541; 4,354,600; 3,937,390; 3,866,782; 3,853,239; and, 3,111,254, which show the state of the art in returnable containers, but do not anticipate Applicant's container structure.